


Doctor Who: Forest of our Heart

by Blue_Dolphin_in_the_TARDIS_1986



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: All characters are animals, Alternate Universe, Animals, F/M, Falling In Love, Forests, Gen, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-19 23:32:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17611148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Dolphin_in_the_TARDIS_1986/pseuds/Blue_Dolphin_in_the_TARDIS_1986
Summary: Somewhere, perhaps in another world, there exists a forest, adjacent to a large mountain as beautiful as most others.In this forest, which is protected by a game warden, live several different animals in harmony, but also with strict rules.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, to all the other Whovians out there ...
> 
> This time it's probably a bit of an extraordinary story, all the characters (except Jack Harkness) in this story are different animals that live together. I hope you like the story, even if it's a bit unusual.
> 
> Allons-y!

Doctor Who © by BBC Worldwide 

Doctor Who: Forest of our Heart

 

Chapter 1 - The mythology of wolves

After a long night, the barn owl, whose plumage was silver, sat down exhausted on a branch and thought only of sleep, which will be his companion for the next few hours.  
He was a bit older, but still quite agile and could continue to fly very well. But he did not care about that now and for the next few hours.

He was the inhabitant of a forest so unusual and yet breathtakingly beautiful that other animals came from far away to visit him. But there were some who had never heard of him before, and yet stayed if they liked it here.

Just as five years ago, when a young husky arrived, the brown fur scorched by the fire, the equally brown eyes empty. He said that he came from the north and a fire destroyed his home and he just ran away out of fear.

He was eventually invited by a young she-wolf to live with her until he felt better and eventually he could continue his journey.

But behind her invitation was more than just hospitality.

The weeks went by and his wounds healed very well, his fur was also regrown, so it was time for him to continue his journey, but when he wanted to open, she stood in his way. He tried to get past her, but the young wolf kept cutting him off.

When he tried to jump over them, she came before him and threw him on his back, pressing her paws into his chest, which, while it hurt, did not hurt him.

He had learned a few things about the wolves in the last few weeks, so he knew that she had chosen him as her companion.

„Why me?“, Had been his question, „I'm not a wolf, just a husky.“  
„Because you are much more brave than all the male wolves together, because despite your situation you have not given up and because I love you, Ten.“

„Ten?“  
„Yes, in the mythology of wolves, this name means, 'whose grief is his friend and enemy at the same time', You've lost your home, do not let it happen again.“

The husky brought his muzzle closer to her.  
„I'm glad you chose me, because my heart is yours, too.“

For in truth he had hoped all the time that she would feel the way she did. He had only been afraid that she might send him away on his own without giving him the opportunity to tell her about his love.

But while they were happy parents, another resident suffered. A artic fox that was once driven out because its ears were bigger than normal. His eyes were as blue as the Antarctic Sea, and his fur was whiter than the snow in winter, the birds told, who had seen so much.

The heart of the artic fox belonged to a red-fox, but she did not notice him. He did everything she could to see him. He put flowers in front of her building, brought her food, but nothing helped.

Now he was sitting by the river of the forest when a blue butterfly flew to him. Although he could annoy with his constant "Flowers are cool!", But he was always there for you.

„Hey“, he sat down with that word on the arctic fox's nose, „why so sad?“  
„Would not you, too, if you were unhappy in love and your feelings simply are not reciprocated?“

The butterfly moved his antennae up and down.  
„Yes, but you can not give up.“  
„I wish I could. You are lucky, you have found the partner of your life. And Ten is very happy with Rose too, but I'll probably never be. A polar fox and a red fox, that just can not work.“

The butterfly, Eleven, in the mythology of the wolves of the 'Active, always for one', lifted off his nose and fluttered away. At first the arctic fox watched him until the butterfly came back, this time in the company of a yellow butterfly.

„So you really want to give up?“  
„Yes.“  
The yellow butterfly flew away, but soon returned, this time in the company of a large catfish. Curious, he looked at him with his blue eyes.  
„Our dear River here meant that I should take you to the stag, the crane and the serpent.“

The arctic fox turned, baring its teeth.  
„That's why I never asked!“  
„You will follow him now, otherwise I will swarm around before your eyes, until you get dizzy and you reach the powerlessness. Then we drag you there personally.“

„Two butterflies and a catfish? How do you want to do that?“

„By asking me for help“, growled a voice, and the husky named Ten came up to him.  
„I know you're scared, but you do not have to. The red foxes have always been something special, at least Rose told me so.“  
The polar fox looked down at the ground.  
„You live on the mountain there, right? How can a catfish get me up there if there's no water flowing there?“

„I'll guide you as long as possible. Unfortunately, I can not say what will happen to you then. Although the deer often comes to the valley, but he grants audience only up there on the mountain and everyone may ask him only a single question.“

The catfish jumped once from the wide river, thus showing that it was time.  
„Let's get on the way. It will take at least two days and nights to get there.“

While the arctic fox had set out along with the catfish, the barn owl woke up from a long sleep as something leaned against his plumage.  
He just did not like it when others moved too close to his feathers. Carefully, he stepped away from the stranger on the branch, but it suddenly fell to the ground like a stone and landed there with a dull thud. Immediately he followed him.

The alien bird was a raven, but instead of its feathers being black and gray, these shimmered brown here. He had barely reached him when he had already started a rascal.

„Say, are you still fine? Because you're flying extra daylong, tired and then something like that... why are you so head bent?“

„Because I'm an owl, more precisely a barn owl? We can move our heads in different directions.“

„And I can cut your eyes out with my beak? Who won now?“  
„I'm old, what bother me the last few years when I can not see anything anymore?“

She looked him over from the side. He did not look like he was happy about it.  
„Forgive me ... It's just that my mum died two months ago and shortly thereafter my dad married a stupid crow.“

„We crows are not stupid!“, Came a voice.  
„We are smart, brave and certainly better than your raven.“

„Yes I'm sorry. I have not had much to do with crows so far. Actually only with my stepmother.“

The barn owl looked her over and wondered if she had flown away from home.

„I'll fly on, then“, the crow rose again, he made a few laps, paused, imagined her as Seven, the name came first, because he was the seventh chick of his parents and because the name in mythology meaning 'little explorer' of the wolves and finally set off.

„What are you looking at me like this?“  
„I am an owl, I look everywhere. It seemed coincidence that it looked like I was watching you. I have to prepare for the night.“

She wanted to talk to him longer, but he was already gone. For that, she heard another voice that was nearby. She could make out a husky and, if she looked closely, also a butterfly.

She was not sure what she should do.  
With some difficulty she flew back to a branch, but soon she realized that it had probably not been a good idea.

„Come down! We do not harm you!“, The Husky shouted up, but she only shook her head.  
„My wing is sprained!“  
„Then drop you!“, The Husky put himself in the right position, but she was still not sure if she should trust that.

The butterfly flew up to her.  
„Hey, I'm Eleven and that's Ten down there. And for me the air is getting a bit too thin. So have the courage and just let yourself fall.“

„What are you doing here?“, Rose came to her companions.  
„We try to persuade the raven to come down.“  
„Do you want to eat it for dinner?“  
„Not a good idea. I watched her with the owl, and when he left, he nearly flew into the next tree.“

Rose buried her nose in his fur as she had this picture in mind. At that moment, he flinched.  
„I'm sorry, I did not mean to hurt you.“  
„It's all right“, he smiled, „you mentioned that your wing is sprained.“  
„Should not we ask her name first?“  
„My name is Clara“, she answered and they introduced themselves as Ten and Rose.  
„We should go home. You know, the little ones can not stay alone too long.“

Ten nodded and grabbed the raven with its mouth.  
„That seems weird.“  
„That's how we carry our boys. Do not you do that to yourself?“

Clara laughed: „No, we are begging until we get our food. And yes, it can be annoying.“

They had arrived quickly at the den, when one of the two little ones stuck out his nose.  
Ten released Clara from his grip and then barked once. Not ten minutes later, an ara came flying close to the humans, but with all the freedoms of the world, leaving the property at any time. Also he could speak a little the language of the people.  
„Tell people we have an injured raven here in the forest and we need his help.“  
„I'll hurry“, he promised.

In the meantime, the catfish and artic fox had come a long way, but as dawn set in, they decided to set up camp there.

„I knew it was far, but so far...“  
„Did not anyone tell you that, Nine?“

He shook his head. Nine, in the mythology of wolves, 'the one who waits for happiness', rested his head on his paws and yawned briefly, realizing how tired he actually was.  
„I really did not know“, he admitted, „and so far, I have no reason to take that path.“

The catfish smiled: „Rest, we have a long way to go tomorrow.“  
„Good night, Eight.“

The morning came quickly and as soon as they had eaten, they continued on their way.  
It took half a day, then the catfish had to say goodbye for the time being, because the river turned into a stream.

„I'll probably be on the road for another two days“, the artic fox had raised his head. That would really be longer than expected.  
„I can accompany you upstairs“, came another voice and he could see a Pika sitting in front of him.  
„Up there? And besides, what if I eat you?“

„The eagles are everywhere and according to the rules, it is forbidden to kill an animal that is not seriously injured or ill.“

„You rabbits are very many. What does it matter if one is missing? But I'm not hungry for Rabbit now either.“

In truth, he would not have opposed the rules anyway. The punishment for breaking them was hard. And this punishment was not about the dead, but that one was taken to a place so far away that no one would ever find their way back.

„Come, I'll take you upstairs. And just so you do not forget it, I'm a Pika“

In the valley, the macaw had returned with the man carrying a first-aid kit.  
First, the ranger looked at the little ones of Ten and Rose, announced with a smile that they were healthy, and then took care of the injured raven.

„Clara, Clara!“, The ara repeated again and again.  
„So your name is Clara? Nice to meet you, I'm Jack. When you're well, you can visit me“, he offered as he dug the injured wing. It had not gotten too bad luck overnight.

„Well, please do not move too much in the near future.“

Clara nodded and looked at her wing.  
She was happy to be here.  
„Ten, Rose? Please pay attention to them.“

The husky and the wolf promised it and Jack made his way back.

„Thanks, but I think I'll be fine on my own.“

„With an injured wing is not to be joked.“

A certain barn owl landed beside her, gazing at her sternly.  
„Unless you want to make it worse, my Clara. But that will not be my problem then.“

He flew away, but Ten wanted to know what was going on and ran after the old owl. He quickly caught up with him.

„What do you want, Husky?“  
„My name is Ten! Did you just say 'My Clara'?“

„And if so? I am an old, fierce owl and she is a young raven, with a long life, while I will probably die in a few years.“

Ten shook his head.  
„The wolves did not name you because you are always rather grumpy and would rather be for you than befriend other animals. But it's true, you're an old, grumpy owl.“


	2. Chapter 2 - We are different beings

Chapter 2 - We are different beings

They had been on the road for a few days, but it still seemed like a long way to the top of the mountain. He did not look so tall from afar.

„Get up, Nine“, woke him the Pika, who had introduced himself as Thirteen.  
„Now?“  
„We will be traveling for some time.“  
„If need be“, the arctic fox now stood up and stretched once, „I'm hungry. Is not there a sick Pika in your pack that I can redeem from his suffering?“

She shook her head, but at that moment something landed right at his feet. When he looked up, he could see a hawk.

„Eat it or leave it, it's up to you!“, He shouted, and immediately the polar fox got over it.  
„Thank you, whoever you are.“

So they could continue the journey after all. But he had not expected how exhausting the way should be.

Meanwhile, the raven had recovered in the valley and he could almost use his wing again.

„Maybe you should try to do a little lap“, Rose suggested, „do not worry, it will not hurt you so soon over the ground.“

Clara nodded as she held out her wings at the same time, the pain was already gone, but she should not overdo it.

She really only managed a little lap before she had to rest. It would take a while until it healed completely.  
„More is not possible.“

The barn owl landed next to her, it was bright day, but he could not sleep. Besides, he had to think of a certain raven all the time anyway. And the fact that he, the old, grumpy owl, had fallen in love with a beautiful, but also sad, young raven.

„That was quite good“, he praised and immediately everyone looked at him. He was not really that he would say anything friendly.

„Thanks, although I still feel like I'm annoying everyone here with my presence.“

It was the boys who suddenly stood in front of them. The boy, Cloud, got the name because of his coat, shook his head.  
„Nonsense, you do not have to go. Please, stay here, with us, with all the animals!“  
„My son is right“, Ten said now, „here you have friends and we will not let anything happen to you.“

She did not know why, but as she turned her eyes to the owl, he looked at her with his blue eyes pleadingly.  
„Well, I would not know where else to go and I do not want to go home anymore. Good, I will stay.“

The other animals were all happy, only the owl seemed to think differently when he suddenly asked her to accompany him. She looked questioningly at him, but understood that he had no choice but to follow him.

„Do you have something specific?“  
„If you live here, you need a home too. And my tree cave is big enough.“  
„What do you mean by that?“, She had an idea, but did not want to commit herself.  
„I would like to say that I offer you my home for so long until you have found a place where you can live, but I do not believe in lying. I want you to become my partner.“

He settled on a branch and she did the same.  
„But ... you're an owl, I a raven. While I am out and about during the day, you sleep in time.“

He nodded, also acknowledging that he was aware, but he would not withdraw his request.  
„Please let me think about it“, she asked him and of course he gave her the time. He only hoped that she would choose him.

Back to our friends, who already had quite a bit behind them.

„Ouch!“, The polar fox jumped up when he stepped on something.

„Oh, was that you?“, A hedgehog asked him and he nodded.  
„Forgive me, if I had known that someone came here, I would have gone aside. Would you like a raspberry?“  
„What does that have to do with the fact that I'm not going to be able to walk?“

The hedgehog looked at him before explaining that he was offering raspberry to everyone.  
„Do you have to go to the summit?“  
„Yes, I would like to ask the deer something very important, and unfortunately that is only possible if I go to him.“  
„Good luck then, not many will get the answer they hope for.“

Nine nodded and checked his injured foreleg again. It hurt, but he could do it.

„See you on the way back“, Thirteen said before continuing on her way.

Above, well, not quite at the top, so where the oxygen was still sufficient, observe the three highest animals of the forest everything.

„He seems to be really serious“, the snake hissed, „most of them give up halfway.“

„Well, he's trying, as I said, to get the heart of a female. I think that's about it“, thought the crane.

„Whatever“, the deer now stepped out of the shadows, „we'll have to wait until he's in front of us."

The snake and the crane nodded in agreement.

„I need a break“, Nine suddenly lay stretched out on all fours on the floor, „I'm really too small feet for such a long way.“  
„Unfortunately, there is only one way to get to the stag. And it's important to you, is not it?“

He was about to answer when suddenly another voice sounded.  
„I know a little shortcut“, in front of them stood a tiny shrew, „if you want, I can show you. My name is Five.“

„I am Thirteen and this is Nine. So you really know a way to be faster at the top?“  
„Yes, follow me.“

They did and then stopped in front of a small hole, but the shrew pointed to a path beside it.  
„If you take this path here, then you will shorten your journey by one day.“

The polar fox smiled before thanking him and turning to the pika  
„Thank you for bringing me here, but I think I should take the rest of the way alone, Thirteen.“

She wished him all the best and that he really gets his wish fulfilled.

Thus, their ways parted .. For now. Because she would wait for him here.

The rest of the way was truly the hardest, first because it was pretty steep and secondly there was even snow here, so that his brown fur turned into his winter dress. So he had to be high up.

„Clara“ a familiar voice, one she had hoped never to hear again, sounded behind her, „I am so glad to have found you. Come on, let's fly home.“

*********

I know, of course, that all kinds of hedgehogs are insect eaters, so here it will be so that Four is a little exception, who has just fallen in love with raspberries and she likes it. And there are hardly any Jelly Babies in the animal world.

BTW: Now that all Doctors have turned up as animals, I can already write who is who. (I hope I made a good selection.)

One - deer, Two - crane, Three - snake, Four - hedgehog,   
Five - shrew, Six - macaw, Seven - crow, Eight - catfish,   
War Doctor - Hawk, Nine - Polar Fox, Ten - husky, Eleven - butterfly, Twelve - Barn Owl and Thirteen - Pika.


	3. Chapter 3 - Here is my home

Chapter 3 - Here is my home

Her father landed in front of her and seemed visibly relieved to have found his daughter. Clara, on the other hand, was not, and she had no idea how she could explain to him that she did not want to go home anymore, but planned to stay here.

„I've searched for you for many days and finally found you“, were his first words, „come on, let's fly home.“

She took a few steps backward to show her father she would not. She liked it here and she did not mean to ever live anywhere else.

„Clara“, a husky stopped in front of her, „are you all right?“  
„Who are you?“, The older Rabe wanted to know.  
„My name is Ten, I'm one of Clara's friends“, he replied, „and you'll probably be her father.“

„Yes, that's me and she will accompany me to where she is at home.“

Ten shook his head and explained that no one could force another into something he did not want.

„She's too young to live alone.“  
„I think that your daughter can decide this alone. And if she has decided to live here, then it will be so.“

The old raven looked at his daughter, who seemed to think as much as the husky explained.

„But with us you would find a nice raven as a husband. Who would you have here?“

Because she was aware that her father would never agree to who asked her to become his partner. A crow may still go, but an owl ... No, that would never be possible.

„I'm not going to fly back with you because I want to live here now“, she told him, „besides, I'm certainly not alone here.“

Without further words, although the wing was not completely healed yet, but the bandage had already been removed by Jack, she flew away and returned shortly thereafter with a certain barn owl, which looked rather sleepy, which was no surprise given the time of day.

However, when Clara told him what had happened, he was suddenly awake.  
„Well, that could be a problem if you really do not want to go back, but it would be best for you, because you could really find a young raven there.“

Her beak opened slightly as she heard these words. He had not offered her a few days ago to become her partner, partner, and now he said that she should leave this place.

She pushed her wing against his head, of course, the uninjured, so he staggered slightly backwards.  
„Well, first you make me something like a marriage proposal and now you talk about that I should just disappear?“  
„Because your dad's right, besides, what do you want with an old owl like me?“  
„As if it were different, if you were younger and not an owl, but a raven, I still like you.“  
„Yes, but not as well as I wish. Besides, that would not last long, no matter how well I can fly.“

Clara shook her head desperately. She tried to make him understand that she loved him, that she wanted to be his partner, and he continued to say that it would be better for her not to stay here.

The raven suddenly flew away when it became a bit too much for her and then sat down on the branch of a tree. Nobody seemed to find him there until her father landed next to her.

„What do you think about him? He is an owl, you would never be able to raise your own boys. Do you want to stay without offspring all your life?“

„I love him, no matter if we're not of the same kind, no matter if he's sometimes grumpy. And if it does not work with the offspring, then we can still adopt one.“

Now she looked at her father really shocked. That was not her serious.  
„You want ... Clara, have you even considered what you're up to?“

She nodded, reassuring him that she was aware of that, even if they were only a few years away, but neither was it said that she would stay together much longer with a young raven.

„I know that I will never see my daughter again if I continue to forbid her to meet with a barn owl...“

„I love him“, her voice was firm, „and yes, you probably would not see me again.“

The older Raven nodded, „Well, fly to him before I change my mind.“

And she was up and away.

Clara found the owl not far away asleep on a branch, it was still bright day, so she lay down next to him and tried on his plumage to find some rest.

„Looks like your father let you have it“, suddenly sounded his voice, which was a bit too low for an owl.  
„More or less. So, your offer is still standing?“  
„As long as you can handle an old grumpy owl, then yes.“  
„You're not old, just older and that's a big difference .... Ahhhhh.“

Suddenly, as the branch broke beneath her, she fell down and he did as well.

„Clara!“, He shouted, but she could only stare at him.

„Guys!“, Eleven came running, „can you please tell me what happened here?“

~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ °

When he finally reached the place he wanted to go, he suddenly stood in front of him ... Three people instead of a deer, a snake and a crane.

And he, too, suddenly seemed human. They looked at each other questioningly, but none of them knew what had happened.

„Actually, I wanted to know how to win the heart of a red fox, but I think that's over now.“

He looked down at himself, surprised that he wore clothes. A black jeans, a dark blue long-sleeved shirt and a leather jacket. And yet, all this was more than strange.

„We should go down to the valley and see if others are affected by this 'transformation'“, suggested the former crane.  
„Yes, we should“, One, he looked down into the valley and wondered if there was a reason for that. Why were they suddenly people?

Four of them set out, with Nine complaining several times that his ears are still a bit big. But he also knew that this is not the real problem.

On the way they met a blond woman and a blond man, as well as someone with dark brown hair, which revealed themselves shortly afterwards as Thirteen, Five and Four.

But the biggest surprise was probably with the children of Rose and Ten, when they suddenly stood before them as children. Cloud had gray-brown hair, his sister Faron dark-blond, their eyes still the same color.

„Something is not right here“, Rose told her what was going through her partner's mind. It was hardly possible that once they were humans and then turned into animals.

Still, he told her what he suspected and she nodded, but was not sure if it had really happened.

„The stag, the former, says we should all meet by the river.“  
„Nine?“   
„Yes, still with too big ears, now comes, there should be no time lost.“

Ten took the children, who were now three years old, well they were as wolves, in his arms.  
„Daddy, are we being punished?“, His daughter demanded, but he could not give her an answer. So he followed his companion.

In the meantime ... he still had no name, walked away from her a few steps, when he realized what had just happened.

„What ... Clara, I...“  
„I do not want to hear about you being too old, nor about anything that you suddenly ... I just want this to be cleared up here.“

He looked at her. He, suddenly a man in his fifties, she a young woman in her 20s. That could not be right.  
„Clara, look at me, do you really believe that...“  
„That I suddenly feel disgusted by you? That suddenly, just because you are no longer a barn owl, I would turn away from you?“

Eleven, who was still nearby, preferred to stay out rather than getting straight into the discussion.

„I love you, whether you're a barn owl or a human, maybe something else. I love you!“

And before he knew it, she had thrown her arms around him and pulled him in for a kiss. This happened automatically, they would have always done so. And yet it felt alien. He pulled away from her, put his forehead against hers and sighed softly.  
„If we are human, then we will hardly be in this forest...“

They were interrupted by the voice of a man who immediately attracted everyone's attention as a Nine because of his big ears. He quickly told them that there was a meeting place by the river and they followed him.

When they got there, they saw the others. Eleven went to someone and smiled.  
„If I'm wrong now that you're River, then you probably married the wrong partner.“  
„Do not worry, sweetie.“

He looked at her suddenly with a certain look before he put his arm around her shoulder. She was his wife, she would always be.

Now that everyone was present, One wanted to start talking when the forest of the earth suddenly changed into a forest of Gallifrey ... Or was it something else.

What happened here?

 

********************

Many people now ask themselves what has actually happened.

Well, the answer will be revealed in the next two chapters, I hope you can wait until then.


	4. Chapter 4 - The changed time

Chapter 4 - The changed time

All eyes were turned upwards. Those who were once a stag, a crane, a snake, a hedgehog, a shrew, an ara, a crow, a hawk, a polar fox, a husky, a butterfly, a barn owl, and a pika called at the same time ...

„That's Gallifrey.“  
„Or the earth“, Clara pointed out, „wherever we are here, the question remains what actually happened. And why some of us know a place called Gallifrey?“  
This was a good question, but it did not seem to provide a fitting answer. Instead, it seemed like they needed to find out for themselves what all this meant.

„Do you think that we were never born as animals, but through an event which have become?“, Now wanted to know a certain former Red Fox.

„Yeah, but if that's how it was, why and are there other people besides us?“, Nine thought as he kneaded both his hands nervously.

And yes, there were others. Not very far away, two people looked at each other, who had previously become a squirrel and a gray squirrel. Siw were called Amy and Rory. But something was different with them, because they knew immediately what had happened.

„Finally, no more eternal search in the winter.“  
„Amy, do not you ask why we're suddenly human again?“  
„No, I did not ask why we were suddenly animals. The trips with the doctor have shown me that a lot is out there unusual, because you just take it at some point as normal.“

He nodded slightly. Of course, he was also happy to be a human again, but he simply did not ask what was actually behind it.

Back to the others still no questions had been answered, as well. They were on a world that was neither Earth nor Gallifrey, and then again. This world seemed to be real and then not to exist again.

„Are these questions really important?“, Eleven wanted to know, „is it really important to know if we're here on Earth or on Gallifrey?“

„How can you not want to know what this all means.“  
„Simple, Ten. Because everything that is important to me is with me anyway. My friends and, of course, my wife, why do I have to know the reasons for what happened?“

Was he right? Should each of them just not care anymore? But how should they return to the human world?

„Just by doing it“, came a new voice, but when certain fourteen people of them looked at him, everyone seemed to know immediately who the man was before them.

„That's our father“, Ten put it in a nutshell, „well, I hope that's him, but we can not say if we're not in the face of a lie.“

„Oh boy, you've always been a bit suspicious and before you ask how I know that, then I can assure you that I know all of you.“

The man turned to the one who once was a barn owl and had no name, but he did not just talk to him.  
„Clara Oswin Oswald, the perpetual companion of the doctor, but you are most connected to him. Please take care of him, he, especially he, needs you more than the others.“  
She nodded, promising to do so before the man turned back to the others. A smile played around the old man's lips, so when he looked at his sons and daughter, he knew that in fact he was always one and the same person, but if he stood here now, he could only remember how proud he was of her, especially of those who had experienced a terrible war and yet managed to carry on with their lives, even if the memories of the time were still painful, one more than the other.

Eleven stepped forward now, because he had a question in mind all the time. He wanted to know why he and River were both butterflies, but the other couples were different animals.

„Well, Rose and Clara are somehow connected to wolves and ravens, and since huskies are closely related to them, as well as barn owls belong to the birds, it was clear that it would be so. Besides, he always had the look of an owl.“

The guy, he still had not got a name, grumbled slightly, while Clara could hardly hide a grin next to him.

„You and River, you've become butterflies because you two are very flighty, each in their own way. Especially you, my boy, you were the one of all incarnations who really could not sit still.“

Eleven nodded, but suddenly he looked very thoughtful.

„Why did we even become animals? I always thought that if we personally die, we would become data in the matrix, conscious, but without the body.“

The very old man in front of them sighed.  
„Because you, because you were not originally born by loom. From time to time there were Gallifreyer, who can naturally produce and give birth to children, your mother and I were one of them. Of course it frightened us when we found out, but since we wanted kids, we just did it. However, the government, especially Rassilon, did not agree with that and banned us, which is why we could only have one child.“

The doctors looked at each other, each of them, even though they were truly the same person, had always suspected that they were different. Even their love for the earth, which they always wanted to be on the road, showed that nobody would be surprised if the doctor just ran away from Gallifrey one day.

Her father's picture, if it was real, flickered.  
„Dear ones, unfortunately I will have to leave you now, but do not worry, in a few minutes you will see something that could accompany you back on the road.“

With that, the old man disappeared.

„Amy, Rory!“, Eleven shouted suddenly, because something told him that they had to be here and really, in the next moment the two came out of the cover. The older, well actually younger, Doctoren, which did not know, of course, what this all meant.

„Do not say you lived in the forest the whole time?“  
Rory smiled in embarrassment before declaring that they had lived the last few years as squirrel and gray squirrel, whereupon River had to laugh. That fit! While her husband and she spent their life as butterflies, their parents were a squirrel and a gray squirrel. The same species, but different species.

„At least we're together again!“, Eleven was happy after hugging his parents-in-law.  
The others just stood there confused, even Twelve (he got his name in the last few minutes) and Thirteen, who knew all about it, did not seem to fully understand what was going on here.

But did it have any meaning now? Maybe Eleven was really right and they should focus on the future.

And how could they do it better than with a TARDIS, of which every doctor now had his own.


	5. Chapter 5 - At some point ... At this moment

Chapter 5 - At some point ... At this moment

Almost everyone had set out on the way and promised each other soon to see each other again.

There was only one TARDIS left, and in front of it sat a man with big ears and a sad look. He had let her go, knew that Ten and Rose would drop her off somewhere and she could start a new life there. Maybe get to know someone.

He grimaced as he thought about it and did not like it, but what could he do about it? He had not had time to figure out how to win her heart, so he probably had to live with the mystery of whether or not she would have returned his feelings at some point.

It did not bother him to keep worrying about it, so he got up, tapped off his jeans and put his hand on his TARDIS.

„At least you will always be with me“, he smiled, feeling a warm throb that expressed her gratitude.

„Oi, Spaceman“, suddenly sounded a voice, but because he was too scared to be disappointed when he turned to the voice.

„What's the matter, did you stop to speak, Spaceman?“

„My name is Nine, but I should look for another name anyway“, he shrugged, probably thinking about it later.

„Anyway, at least you'll have a travel companion first.“

Now he turned around and almost staggered back, standing right in front of him. She could just hold him by the arm like that.

„I still have no idea how to win the heart of a redfox...“, he admitted, but was suddenly cut off when she suddenly put her lips on his.  
„Um, guess I prefer you as a human being.“

One answer remained from him as he opened the door, took her hand and carried her into his ... no, her TARDIS moved.

~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~

Jackie Tyler would not believe it when her daughter suddenly stood in front of her.

For many years she was missing, but Rose knew nothing about that. Anyway, no one had ever said anything about how things would go on in the human world.

„Hy, Mum“, she smiled, before she was suddenly pulled into a tight hug.

„You have no idea what ideas I had after you just disappeared.“  
„I'm sorry, Mum, it was not my fault“, she murmured to her shoulder, „please do not be mad ... Besides, I'd like to introduce you to my family.“

Now Jackie moved away from her, looking questioningly at her. Your daughter had her own family?

Before Jackie could ask more closely, a man with a girl in his arms stepped in while the boy stood beside him and held his father's hand.

„Mum, I want to introduce you to John, Cloud and Fayson, my family.“  
Jackie just looked at the three until suddenly a slight smile spread on her lips.

„Mum“, the girl wanted to know now, „who is the stranger woman?“  
„This is your grandmother“, John replied, before he went slightly to his knees, „you also half Gallifreyer and one human, so you'll be fine... Oh, you'll learn all that in the course of time. And now say hello.“

It took a while, of course, for Jackie Tyler to get used to being a grandmother, but her two grandchildren loved her from the first moment.

~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~

„Okay, sweetie, any idea how to proceed?“

Eleven grinned widely when he looked at River, Amy and Rory, then suggested that they could travel together.

„We, four, experience adventure...“  
„Five, darling, five“, River interrupted, staring at her, but it was not Eleven who asked the question, but her father.  
„But ... We've only been human again for two days, how fast can it be. something worked?“

„How it worked, besides, the little girl is partly Gallifreyer, well ... Well, Mum, Dad, you're going to be grandparents.“

That's it! Amy could not stand on her feet anymore. She was not even 30. How should she explain to any stranger? It had to be a mystery forever, as her real family situation was.

The best thing to say is that Eleven and Rory are brothers, and then no questions would come. Except, perhaps, in terms of the age difference between Eleven and River, the visible, not the real one.

Amy just shook her head. It did not matter what else the world thought of them.  
The important thing was that they could finally become a family.

And she'll be able to get used to having a grandchild soon.

~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~

„Clara, are you home?“, Called Twelve or Basil, as he called himself when he closed the door behind him. It stayed calm, so he decided to look for her.

They had been humanoid for two weeks now, and he remembered everything.

This time he did not want to let time pass and so he checked if he had everything with him. Everything good, nothing was missing.

„Did not know that you...“  
„Will you marry me“, he interrupted, though he actually wanted to make it more romantic. On the other hand, they were hardly an ordinary couple.  
„Well, finally, Mr. Oswald, you thought you'd soon get stuck in the ice with your feet“, she moved closer to him, putting her arms around his neck.  
„And yes, I will“, so she pulled him to him and closed his lips with hers. It did not need words, as both could hear each other in their thoughts.

~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~

Every year, on their anniversary, the doctors met and every now and then there was also one or the other companion.

Anyway: The adventures of the doctors have a beginning, but probably never an end ... at least not in the near future.

The end.

***********************

I hope you enjoyed the story and even though I did not mention every doctor at the end, one thing remains certain: I love (platonic) all the doctors. [this also applies to the future.]

We read each other.


End file.
